E-CIGS NZ: WHAT ARE THE RULES? THE BASIC EXPLANATION

Under this act it is illegal to sell or promote any device that looks like a cigarette or mimics smoking to any person under 18 years of age, whether that device contains nicotine or not.

If any device contains nicotine it is ILLEGAL to sell, pack, distribute or advertise in NZ. Whether you are a person giving a nicotine e-cigarette to a friend (even just a puff) or you are a business selling the nicotine e-juice or nicotine e-cigarette – it is illegal.

Importation for personal use is 100% legal and does not break any laws.

Nicotine containing e-cigarettes/e-liquids can ONLY be sold in NZ if they are used as a way to help people stop smoking. But to do this it has to have been signed off as an official ‘smoking cessation aid’ by Medsafe. Sounds good, but NO e-cigarette or e-juice retailer in NZ has put any product through this process (it is prohibitively expensive!).